A federal jury acquitted Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins of two counts of extortion on Wednesday, September 2, following a trial at the John Joseph Moakley federal courthouse in Boston. According to the Revere Journal, the jury reached its unanimous decision after a trial that examined Tompkins' dealings with a cannabis company — a case with direct relevance to Chelsea, which falls under Suffolk County's jurisdiction along with Boston, Revere, and Winthrop.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Tompkins pressured Frank Perullo, a longtime friend and co-founder of cannabis company Ascend Wellness Holdings, into selling him $50,000 in company stock in 2020, before Ascend went public, using a partnership between Ascend and the sheriff's reentry program as leverage. Prosecutors further alleged that when the stock's value fell, Tompkins used his position to pressure Perullo into a full refund. A federal grand jury indicted Tompkins in August 2025; he was arrested in Florida and, at Gov. Maura Healey's request, stepped away from his position as sheriff while the case proceeded. Mark Lawhorne has served as "special sheriff," overseeing the department in Tompkins' absence. According to WBUR's report on the verdict, the jury returned its decision within hours of receiving the judge's instructions, finding Tompkins not guilty on both counts.

The acquittal drew a warm response from several local and state officials. State Sen. Lydia Edwards said she was "grateful for the jury's service" and that Tompkins "wants nothing more than to get back to serving the people of Suffolk County." Chelsea Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson, described by the Revere Journal as a longtime friend and supporter of Tompkins, said he was "glad that the jury acquitted Sheriff Tompkins and that he will be returning to his position of leadership in Suffolk County."

But an acquittal on federal criminal charges is not the same as a clean verdict on the underlying conduct, and the reaction from the state's top elected official has been notably more measured. Asked directly whether she supports Tompkins returning to the job, Gov. Healey told WBUR that "that's going to be for Sheriff Tompkins to evaluate right now, and I hope he takes the time to evaluate what came up. It was serious." Separately, WBUR's reporting notes that the State Ethics Commission could still examine whether Tompkins' conduct violated state, rather than federal, conflict-of-interest law — a commission that has fined Tompkins twice before, in 2015 and 2023.

As of this writing, there is no confirmed return date. Tompkins' attorney, Martin Weinberg, has said his client is "going back to work as the elected sheriff of Suffolk County, the position he was elected to serve," and WBUR reports that Tompkins plans to resume his duties in the near future. Healey does not have the authority to unilaterally block his return. Tompkins' current term runs through January 3, 2029; his next major decision will be whether to seek another six-year term in 2028.